Atmospheric deposition of microplastics at a western China metropolis: Relationship with underlying surface types and human exposure

Abstract

The issue of atmospheric microplastic (AMP) contamination is gaining increasing attention, yet the influencing factors and human exposure are not well-understood. In this study, atmospheric depositions were collected in the megacity of Chengdu, China, to investigate the pollution status and spatial disparities in AMP distribution. The relationship between AMP abundance and underlying surface types was then analyzed with the aid of back trajectory simulation. Additionally, a probabilistic estimation of human exposure to AMP deposition during outdoor picnics was provided, followed by the calculation of AMP loading into rivers. Results revealed that the mean deposition flux ranged within 207.1–364.0 N/m2/d (14.17–33.75 μg/m2/d), with significantly larger AMP abundance and sizes in urban compared to rural areas. Areas of compact buildings played an important role in contributing to both fibrous and non-fibrous AMP contamination from urban to rural areas, providing new insight into potential sources of pollution. This suggests that appropriate plastic waste disposal in compact building areas should be prioritized for controlling AMP pollution. Besides, the median ingestion of deposited AMPs during a single picnic was 34.9 N/capita/hour (3.03 × 10−3 μg/capita/hour) for urban areas and 17.8 N/capita/hour (7.74 × 10−4 μg/capita/hour) for suburbs. Furthermore, the worst-case scenario of AMPs loading into rivers was investigated, which could reach 170.7 kg in summertime Chengdu. This work could contribute to a better understanding of the status of AMP pollution and its sources, as well as the potential human exposure risk.